LIVE REVIEW: Breaking Benjamin Brought Something Wicked to the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 9.2.26

Photographer: Gina Monahan

Artist: Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Starset, Kami Kehoe

Location: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden, NJ

Date: September 2nd, 2026

Breaking Benjamin‘s latest tour with Chevelle, Starset, and Kami Kehoe just kicked off last Wednesday night in Camden, New Jersey. The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion is always a staple for Breaking Benjamin when touring in North America. The ampitheater overlooks the city of Philadelphia, PA from the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. Breaking Benjamin once again brought an extraordinary performance to the Pavilion, which was packed from pit to lawn.

KAMI KEHOE

Kami Kehoe was the first of four bands to take the stage. Coming in hot off of the release of her third studio album Love is a Weapon, Kami set the stage ablaze with a short but powerful drum fill before beginning the first song of her set, “PSYCHO”. Kami is not like any other opening act; She frequently shifts between the kit and the mic, keeping the audience in anticipation for her next move. Some lighting issues early on in her set did not temper her flame. She delivered a powerful, unexpected, and fierce performance. Kami closed out her set with her viral hits “SLEEP WHEN IM DEAD” and “DOPAMINE”.

STARSET

Few words are adequate enough to describe just how unique a Starset performance is. A leading force in the cinematic rock genre, Starset lives up to their name: Their music transports you to the stars using full orchestral instrumentals, ethereal synths, and driving guitar progressions. Starset opened with a newly released song “p a r a d 0 x 1 c” from their upcoming unnamed album, then broke right into fan-favorite “Carnivore”. With six members on stage and extraterrestrial visuals backing them, a Starset “demonstration” feels like a sci-fi movie unfolding right before your eyes. To the excitement of the crowd, they debuted an unreleased track called “a n n 1 h 1 l a t 1 0 n” before ending their set with “TokSik” and their viral hit “My Demons”. 

CHEVELLE

Chevelle are a power trio who have been delivering in the modern rock sphere since the mid 90s. Featuring brothers Peter and Sam Loeffler, Chevelle doesn’t need a stage full of musicians for their music to pack a punch. They opened with “Family System” from their 2002 album Wonder What’s Next, and “Self Destructor” from their 2021 album NIRATIAS. With Kemble Walters on bass, the power trio brought a heavy, fast-paced, and timeless performance to the four band lineup. The crowd sang to every song, including “Pale Horse” and “Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)”, both from their latest album, Bright as Blasphemy (2025). They closed out their monumental set with “The Red” and “Mars Simula”. 

BREAKING BENJAMIN

Breaking Benjamin hit the stage at 9:30pm. If you’re a veteran of Breaking Benjamin concerts, you’ll know that their stage setup is usually simple, made up of ambient lighting and a giant backdrop with their latest album cover featured on the front. This time around, however, they brought out the big guns: large LED screens that spanned the entire stage, including the drum riser. Before any of the members walked out, the screens lit up to reveal the Microsoft XP loading screen. Hoots and hollers bellowed from the crowd as the nostalgic windows desktop screen loaded in, set with rolling green hills and a bright blue sky. A mouse pointer circled across the screens until it clicked on a Limewire icon. From there, an instrumental sample of “I Will Not Bow” began playing before the full band kicked in, opening with the iconic track. 

Often named alongside icons such as Seether, Evanescence, and Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin have commanded the modern rock genre since the early 2000’s beginning with their debut album Saturate. The band is helmed by its namesake Benjamin Burnley, who is the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. But Ben wasn’t the only Burnley on stage that night–His young son, Ben “Cheech” Burnley, has been joining the band on backing vocals and guitar. Cheech even introduced a couple of songs, including the second song of the set, “Until the End”. The crowd erupted in cheers as Cheech yelled, “We love to see you guys out there singing along with us. So we really need you for this next one, are you ready?!”

Breaking Benjamin welcomed former Red drummer Brian Medeiros to their lineup this year. Medeiros’ style lends perfectly to Breaking Benjamin’s discography. He was a powerhouse the entire night, complete with stick spinning, big smiles and strong double base work. Other permanent members of Breaking Benjamin include Jasen Rauch on lead guitar, Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar, and Aaron Bruch on bass. 

Even if you think you’re not familiar with Breaking Benjamin, you’ve probably at least heard their classic hits “Breath” and “The Diary of Jane” from their 2006 album Phobia. Once you’re in the crowd for one of their shows, you’ll find yourself singing along to more songs than you realize. Breaking Benjamin has become such an integral part of the modern rock scene over the past 20 years. Tracks like “So Cold”, “I Will Not Bow” and “Dear Agony” have become staples in any rock listener’s repertoire. 

Towards the end of their set, Ben spoke to the crowd about their upcoming album. Though the name of the record hasn’t been released yet, two songs from the tracklist have: “Awaken” (2024) and “Something Wicked” (2026). Ben very proudly confirmed that Cheech is featured on all of the new tracks. Cheech then encouraged the audience to sing along to “Something Wicked”. The crowd responded by chanting “CHEECH!” in support.

One cannot stress enough how flawless Breaking Benjamin are live. Ben’s vocals are nearly identical to their studio counterparts, the only difference being they are even more powerful live. Breaking Benjamin’s discography is meant to be heard resonating through an amphitheater or arena. Their emotional hooks, crisp guitar leads and near-perfect vocals invite every audience member to scream back at the top of their lungs. There is great catharsis in tens of thousands of people joining (metaphorical) hands and shouting song lyrics that mean so much to them. Breaking Benjamin are truly a generational act. Grandparents, parents, and children gathered together to enjoy a night full of nostaglia and new music alike.

The band ended their set with three back-to-back heavy hitters: “Failure” from their 2015 album Dark Before Dawn, “Dance With the Devil”, and “The Diary of Jane”, both from Phobia (2006).

Breaking Benjamin’s tour with Chevelle, Starset, and Kami Kehoe has just gotten started. For additional tickets and tour dates click here, and be sure to follow Breaking Benjamin on Instagram and Facebook.